CHAPTER 12. 1838. QUARTERLY CONFERENCE-MARCH TO ADAM ONDI AHMAN-INFLAMMATORY AFFIDAVITS - MARSH AND HYDE APSTATIZE — FALSE REPORTS - MOVEMENTS OF THE MOB-PATTEN AND O'BANION KILLED-GOVERNOR'S ORDER - EXTERMINATING ORDER-ATCHISON REVOLTS - PERILOUS SITUATION - DANITES - THE MOB APPROACHING. Quarterly ON October 5 and 6 there was a quarterly conference held at Far West. On the last day of this conference Stephen Chase was ordained President of the Elders' Quoconference. rum in Far West; and Isaac Laney, Horace Alexander, and Albert Sloan were ordained elders. Samuel Bent and Isaac Higbee were appointed to fill the places of John Murdock and George M. Hinkle in the council, they having removed to De Witt. Joseph writes concerning the thrilling events following the abandonment of De Witt, as follows:— March to dahman. "Monday, 15th. The brethren assembled on the public square and formed a company of about one hundred, who took up a line of march for Adam-ondi-ahman; Adam-on- and here let it be distinctly understood that this company were militia of the county of Caldwell, acting under Lieutenant-Colonel Hinkle, agreeable to the order of General Doniphan, and the brethren were very careful in all their movements to act in strict accordance with the constitutional laws of the land. "The special object of this march was to protect Adamondi-ahman and repel the attacks of the mob in Daviess County. Having some property in that county and having a house building there, I went up at the same time. While I was there a number of houses belonging to our people were burned by the mob, who committed many other depredations, such as driving off horses, sheep, cattle, hogs, etc. A number of those whose houses were burned down as well as those who lived in scattered and lonely situations fled into the town for safety, and for shelter from the inclemency of the weather, as a considerable snowstorm took place on the 17th and 18th. Women and children, some in the most delicate situations, were thus obliged to leave their homes and travel several miles in order to effect their escape. My feelings were such as I cannot describe when I saw them flock into the village, almost entirely destitute of clothes, and only escaping with their lives. "During this state of affairs General Parks arrived at Daviess County and was at the house of Colonel Lyman Wight on the 18th, when the intelligence was brought that the mob were burning houses; and also when women and children were fleeing for safety, among whom was Agnes M. Smith, wife of my brother, Don Carlos Smith, who was absent on a mission in Tennessee, her house having been plundered and burned by the mob, she having traveled nearly three miles, carrying her two helpless babes, and having had to wade Grand River. "Colonel Wight, who held a commission in the 59th regi ment under his (General Parks') command, asked what was to be done. He told him that he must immediately call out his men and go and put them down. Accordingly a force were immediately raised for the purpose of quelling the mob, and in a short time were on their march, with a determination to drive the mob or die in the attempt; as they could bear such treatment no longer. "The mob, having learned the orders of General Parks, and likewise being aware of the determination of the oppressed, broke up their encampment and fled. The mob seeing that they could not succeed by force now resorted to stratagem; and after removing their property out of their houses, which were nothing but log cabins, they fired them, and then reported to the authorities of the State that the 'Mormons' were burning and destroying all before them. . . "About this time William Morgan, sheriff of Daviess County, Samuel Bogart, Colonel William P. Peniston, Doc Inflammatory tor Samuel Venable, Jonathan J. Dryden, James Stone, and Thomas J. Martin, made communications or affidavits of the most inflammatory kind, charging upon the affidavits. 'Mormons' those depredations which had been committed by the mob, endeavoring thereby to raise the anger of those in authority, rally a sufficient force around their standard, and produce a total overthrow, massacre, or banishment of the 'Mormons' from the State. These and their associates were the ones who fired their own houses and then fled the county, crying 'fire and murder.' "It was reported in Far West to day that Orson Hyde had left that place the night previous, leaving a letter for one of the brethren which would develop the secret. "Monday, 22d. On the retreat of the mob from Daviess I returned to Caldwell with a company of the brethren, and arrived at Far West about seven in the evening, where I had hoped to enjoy some respite from our enemies, at least for a short time; but upon my arrival there I was informed that a mob had commenced hostilities on the borders of that county, adjoining to Ray County, and that they had taken some of our brethren prisoners, burned some houses, and had committed depredations on the peaceable inhabitants. Tuesday, 23d. News came to Far West this morning that the brethren had found the cannon which the mob brought from Independence, buried in the earth, and had secured it by order of General Parks. The word of the Lord was given several months since for the saints to gather into the cities, but they have been slow to obey until the judgments were upon them, and now they are gathering by flight and haste, leaving all their effects, and are glad to get off at that. The city of Far West is literally crowded, and the brethren are gathering from all quarters. Fourteen citizens of Ray wrote the Governor an inflam matory epistle, one of which was Mr. Hudgins, postmaster; and Thomas C. Burch, of Richmond, wrote a similar communication. Also the citizens of Ray, in public meeting, appealed to the Governor of the State to give the people of upper Missouri protection from this fearful body of thieves and robbers,' when the saints were all minding their own business, only as they were driven from it by those who were crying 'thieves and robbers.' "The mail came in this evening, but not a single letter to anybody, from which it is evident there is no deposit sacred to those murderers who are infesting the country and trying to destroy the saints. "Wednesday, 24th. Austin A. King and Adam Black renewed their inflammatory communications to the Governor, as did other citizens of Richmond; viz., C. R. Morehead, William Thornton, and Jacob Gudgel, who manifested no scruples at any falsehood or exaggeration to raise the Governor's anger against us. Marsh Thomas B. Marsh, formerly President of the Twelve, having apostatized, repaired to Richmond and made affidavit before Henry Jacobs, justice of the peace, to all the vilest calumnies, aspersions, lies, and slanders, towards myself and the church that his wicked heart could invent. He had been lifted up in pride by his exaltations and the revelations of heaven concerning him, until he was ready to be overthrown by the first adverse wind that should cross his track, and now he has fallen, lied and sworn to it, and is ready to take the lives of his best friends. Let all men take warning by him, and learn that he who exalteth himself God will abase. "Orson Hyde was also at Richmond, and testified to most of Marsh's statements. The following letter being a fair specimen of the truth and honesty of a multitude of others which I shall notice, I give it in full: False reports. "CARROLLTOWN, Missouri, October 24, 1838. "Sir:-We were informed, last night, by an express from Ray County, that Captain Bogart and all his company, amounting to between fifty and sixty men, were massacred by the Mormons at Buncombe, twelve miles north of Richmond, except three. This statement you may rely on as being true, and last night they expected Richmond to be laid in ashes this morning. We could distinctly hear cannon, and we know the Mormons had one in their possession. Richmond is about twenty-five miles west of this place, on a straight line. We know not the hour or minute we will be laid in ashes-our country is ruined-for God's sake give us assistance as quick as possible. "'Yours, etc., "SASHIEL WOODS. "JOSEPH DICKSON.' "These mobbers must have had very acute ears to hear cannon (a six-pounder) thirty-seven miles. Movements lies of a priest of this world. So much for the Now for the truth of the mob. of the case. This day about noon, Captain Bogart with some thirty or forty men called on Brother Thoret Parsons, where he was living, at the head of the east branch of Log Creek, and warned him to be gone before next day at ten in the morning, declaring also that he would give Far West thunder and lightning before next day at noon if he had good luck in meeting Neil Gillium, who would camp about six miles west of Far West that night, and that he should camp on Crooked Creek, and departed towards Crooked Creek. "Brother Parsons dispatched a messenger with this news to Far West, and followed after Bogart to watch his movements. Brothers Joseph Holbrook and - Judith, who went out this morning to watch the movements of the enemy, saw eight armed mobbers call at the house of Brother Pinkham, where they took three prisoners (Nathan Pinkham, Brothers William Seely, and Addison Green) and four horses, arms, etc., and departed, threatening Father Pinkham if he did not leave the State immediately they would have his damned old scalp;' and having learned of Bogart's movements, returned to Far West near midnight and reported their proceedings and those of the mob. "On hearing the report, Judge Higbee, the first judge of the county, ordered Lieutenant Colonel Hinkle, the highest officer in command in Far West, to send out a company to disperse the mob and retake their prisoners, whom, it was reported, they intended to murder that night. The trumpet sounded and the brethren were assembled on the public square about midnight, when the facts were stated, and about seventy five volunteered to obey the Judge's order, |